House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she will introduce legislation to bestow one of the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, to the dozens of outnumbered cops who fought to keep the marauding attackers from killing members of Congress and Vice President Mike Pence.
“The service of the Capitol Police force that day brings honor to our democracy,” she said. “Their accepting this reward brings luster to this medal.”
Pelosi paid special tribute to Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman, who is credited with calmly diverting attackers away from trapped U.S. senators even as they spewed racial epithets at him.
She also honored Officer Brian Sicknick, 42, who was injured while “physically engaging with protesters,” a Capitol Police statement said. The 12-year veteran of the force returned to his division office and collapsed. He was taken to a local hospital, where he later died.
The FBI now believes Sicknick may have died after being hit with bear spray, a chemical irritant used by hunters, CNN reported.
Agents are poring over videos depicting the attack on Sicknick and may file murder charges against any rioters who can be identified.
Democrats and Republicans alike have praised the rank-and-file officers who defended them.
But Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., were critical of the Capitol Police chief and the sergeants-at-arms of the two chambers, saying they didn’t do enough to ensure adequate security in the face of threats by former President Donald Trump and his supporters. All three have been ousted.
